Week 7 - Problem Clots

Question 1

What are the 3 factors in Virchows triad?

Answer 1

• blood stasis
• hypercoagulability
• endothelial injury (in lumen)

Question 2

What is Virchow’s Triad?

Answer 2

• risk factors for clot formation are associated with this Triad

Question 3

Why is blood stasis associated with problem clots?

Answer 3

• blood pooling is more likely to form clots

Question 4

Why is increased hypercoagulability in Virchow’s Triad?

Answer 4

tendency of blood to clot
- ie. hormonal imbalances

Question 5

What is a thrombus? (2)

Answer 5

• a problem clot (caused by factors in Virchow’s Triad)
• will trigger inflammation

Question 6

What is an embolus?

Answer 6

• A piece of the clot that breaks off and travels around the body

Question 7

What occurs in DVT?

Answer 7

• Thrombus forms in the deep veins

Question 8

What are the symptoms of DVT? (5)

Answer 8

• may be asymptomatic
• calf or groin pain on affected side
• sudden onset unilateral edema
• increased warmth
• redness (rubour) to affected limb

Question 9

How is DVT diagnosed through? (2)

Answer 9

• Physical Assessment
• confirm with venous duplex ultrasonography

Question 10

What is a superficial vein thrombosis?

Answer 10

• usually superficial leg veins close to the skin surface

Question 11

What are the symptoms of superficial vein thrombosis? (7)

Answer 11

• tenderness
• pain
• rubour
• warmth
• inflammation
• induration
  All along the vein

Question 12

What do veins appear as in superficial vein thrombosis?

Answer 12

• appear as a palpable cord

Question 13

Does edema occur in superficial vein thrombosis? (2)

Answer 13

• rarely occurs
• if SVT left untreated, can turn into a blood clot

Question 14

How does DVT affect the vein? (5)

Answer 14

• deep vein of the legs are most commonly affected
• pain or pressure over involved vein
• edema
• deep rubour
• increased temp on affected side

Question 15

What are you at risk for if you have DVT? Why? (2)

Answer 15

• risk for pulmonary embolism
• clot breaks off and blocks blood flow in the lungs
  EMERGENCY

Question 16

What is a pulmonary embolism? (2)

Answer 16

• blockage of pulmonary artery by air, fat, tumour tissue or a thrombus
• lodges in blood vessel and obstructs perfusion of alveoli

Question 17

What is the mortality rate of a pulmonary embolism? (2)

Answer 17

• 30% in untreated patients
• diagnosis plus anticoagulant therapy mortality rate is 6-8%

Question 18

In lecture, what are some symptoms of a pulmonary embolism

Answer 18

• difficulty breathing
• SOB
• sharp pain

Question 19

What is a saddle embolism?

Answer 19

• rare type of acute pulmonary embolism
• medical emergency!!